Machine for making extensible paper



Aug. 30, 1966 w. E. ROJECK] 3,269,393

MACHINE FOR MAKING EXTENSIBLE PAPER Filed Dec. 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

WALTER E. ROJECKI ATTORNEYS 0, 1966 w. E. ROJECKI 3,269,893

MACHINE FOR MAKING EXTENSIBLE PAPER Filed Dec. 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I l 1 7s 1 I l AIR a WATER= J INVENTOR.

WALTER E. ROJECKI ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,269,893 MACHINE FORMAKING EXTENSIBLE PAPER Walter E. Rojecki, Watertown, N.Y., assignor toThe Black Clawsou Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio FiledDec. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 331,268 Claims. (Cl. 162-361) This inventionrelates to paper machinery, and particularly to a press assembly for usein the production of extensible paper.

The invention has special application to the production of extensiblepaper by apparatus wherein a resilient blanket is urged against a paperweb over a substantial angular area of the surface of a cooperatingheating press roll as shown, for example, in Cluett Patent No. 2,624,-245, issued January 6, 1953. The invention is particularly concernedwith the provision of apparatus operating on similar principles whichwill offer significant advantages of economy of both initialinstallation and maintenance over previously available apparatus for thesame general purposes.

Thus it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a pressassembly for the production of extensible paper which includes aresilient blanket but which does not require guide, stretch or tensionrolls for the blanket, with corresponding economy of initial productionand installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a press assembly for theproduction of extensible paper which includes a resilient blanket and acooperating press roll, and which is constructed to make it possible tochange the blanket quickly and easily without the necessity of specialequipment.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a press assembly forthe production of extensible paper wherein the resilient blanket of thepress assembly is a part of an inflatable roll which thus constitutes ina single component unit both the blanket and its guiding and tensioningmechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a press assembly asoutlined in the preceding paragraph wherein the inflatable roll whichincludes the resilient blanket incorporates an internal adjustablepressure mechanism for establishing the desired pressure nip of theblanket against its cooperating press roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press assembly for theproduction of extensible paper as outlined above which is so constructedand arranged that the angular extent to which the resilient blanket lapsis cooperating press roll is readily adjusted and controlled to suitdesired operating conditions or results.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, the accompanying drawings and theappended claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing a pressassembly constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2. is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section on theline 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View showing another form of press assemblyconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in axial section ofthe inflatable roll in the assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view looking from right to left in FIG. 4 which is partly inend elevation and partly in section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a force diagram.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the press roll 10 has journals 11 mounted by bearings 12on a base frame 13. The roll 10 is preferably a heated roll having asmooth, hard, imperforate surface, and it is provided with suitabledriving means as indicated diagrammatically at 15. The paper web W isguided to and from the press assembly by suitably located guide rolls 16and 17.

Cooperating with the press roll 10 is an inflatable roll indicatedgenerally at 20, which comprises an inflatable body 22 of rubber or likematerial mounted by suitable disk hubs 23 and bearings 24 for freerotation on a supporting shaft 25 and provided with conventional valvemeans 26 by which it can be inflated to a desired maintained pressure.The body 22 may be similar in construction to the pnuematic tiresemployed for use on vehicles built to travel over desert or othercountry having no roads, but it is shown as formed of two half-sectionsof a pneumatic rubber tire secured to an outer circumferential faceportion 30 of rubber or like resilient material which forms an endlessresilient blanket of substantial thickness, for example a thickness ofthe order of 1.25 inch.

The rolls 10 and 20 are mounted for operation with their axes inpredetermined closely spaced parallel relation such that the surface ofthe roll 10 deforms a portion of the blanket 30 into lapping relationwith a corresponding angular portion of the surface of roll 10, and thismounting is preferably adjustable as shown in FIG. 1. Thus each end ofthe shaft 25 is mounted by a bearing 32 on an arm 33 having one endpivoted at 34 on a portion 35 of the base frame 13. The other end ofeach arm 33 is provided with a fluid pressure loading cylinder 36mounted on another frame portion 37 and provided with an opposedadjustable stop 38 limiting movement of the roll 20 toward roll 10.

The roll 20 is provided internally with means for compressing theblanket 30 against the surface of roll 10 to form a pressure nip. Thus anip bar 40 is mounted within the roll body 22 on the shaft 25 by rigidarms 41, and these parts are so proportioned that in the operatingpositions of the rolls, the radially outer surface of the bar 40 islocated at a greater distance from the axis of shaft 25 than thedistance of the axis of the shaft 25 to the surface of roll 10. The bar40 is shown as having a directly welded connection to the arms 41 whichcauses it to be non rotating, but a rotary mounting can be provided ifdesired, as by locating the arms 41 at the ends of the bar 40.

The shaft 25 is provided at one or both ends with a crank arm 44 whichis connected with the piston rod 45 of a fluid pressure cylinder 46mounted on the adjacent loading arm 33 by a bracket 47. With thisarrangement, when pressure is applied to the arm 44 by the cylinder 46,the arm 44 is urged to the right as viewed in FIG. 1

and thereby causes the shaft 25 to rotate in clockwise direction to actas a torque shaft forcing the nip bar 40 to compress the blanket 30against the surface of roll and thereby to form a pressure nip 50thereb'etween.

In the operation of this press assembly in accordance with theinvention, the roll body 22 is inflated to a relatively low pressure,for example 2-5 p.s.i.g., and the parts are so proportioned and arrangedthat with the arms 33 held against the stops 38 by the cylinders 36, theblanket 30 is deformed to lap approximately of the surface of roll 10.The cylinders 46 are similarly actuated to load the nip bar 40 againstroll 10 with relatively substantial pressure, for example 250 p.s.i., toeffect corresponding compression of the blanket across the nip 50. Theroll 10 is driven in the direction to cause the blanket 30 to travelthrough nip and then along the lapped surface portion of roll 10, andthe roll 20 is similarly driven, either through friction with roll 10 orby a separate drive connection.

The guide roll 16 is preferably located to guide the relatively wet webW directly into the nip 50 or to the surface of blanket 30 just ahead ofnip 50 for passage therethrough. After passing through nip 50, the web Wis held between roll 10 and the deformed lapping portion of blanket 30until the latter leaves the surface of roll '10. The outer surface ofblanket 30 first curves convexly around the relatively small radius ofnip bar 40, and then after the blanket has been compressed by passagethrough the nip 50, it expands and reverses its curvature while incontact with the lapped surface portion of roll 10 through the web W,thereby effecting longitudinal contraction of the web which imparts thedesired extensible properties thereto. If this operation develops anundesirable amount of heat in the blanket 30, this can readily becontrolled by circulating a small supply of water through the interiorof roll 20', as by means of inlet and siphon means of essentially thesame construction commonly employed in paper machine dryer rolls, andthis may also be desirable to provide lubrication between the contactingsurfaces of the nip bar 40 and the roll body 22.

It will accordingly be seen that the press assembly of the inventionprovides substantial practical advantages of simplicity and economy inboth installation and maintenance. Thus the single inflatable roll 20includes not only the necessary rubber blanket member but also thesupporting, guiding and tensioning means for the blanket, therebyeliminating the necessity for separate guide rolls such as have beenrequired in the past. In addition, the construction of the inventiongreatly facilitates exchange of blankets necessitated by wear, sincethis can be readily done by simply exchanging a complete spareinflatable roll 20 with its own supporting shaft. The absence ofseparate guide rolls reduces the time required for such exchange to aminimum, and a new body and blanket can then be mounted on the removedshaft unit without further interruption of production.

The construction of the invention also makes it readily possible tochange operating conditions as desired. Thus the pressure of thedeformed portion of the blanket 30 against the roll 10 can be increasedor decreased by correspondingly varying the air pressure within the rollbody 22. Similarly, the pressure across the nip 50 can be adjusted andcontrolled through regulation of the pressure supply to the cylinders46. The extent of deformation and lap of the blanket 30 can also beregulated, by means of the adjustable stops '38, and in this connectionit should be noted that the relative proportions of the rolls 10 and 20are not critical and in general that the maximum practical variation inthe extent of the deformed portion of the blanket is obtained when theroll 20 is of substantially larger diameter than the roll 10.

FIGS. 3-7 show another form of press assembly in accordance with theinvention which is in many respects similar to the press assemblydescribed in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the press roll 60 has journals 61mounted by bearings 62 on a base frame 63. The roll 60 corresponds infunction to the roll 10 and should similarly be a heated roll, having asmooth, hard, impe-rforate surface. The roll 60 is provided withsuitable driving means as indicated diagrammatically at 65, and thepaper web W is guided to the press assembly by a guide roll 66 which ispreferably mounted for vertical adjustment as indicated by the arrow 67.A roll 68 receives the web W after it leaves the -roll 60 and isseparately driven, as indicated at 69, at a slower speed than roll 60 toallow for the contraction of the web as a result of its treatment in thepress assembly.

Cooperating with the press roll 60 is an inflatable roll indicatedgenerally at 70, which comprises a pair of pneumatic rubber tires 71 and72 each mounted by a rim 73 and hub 74 for free rotation on a supportingshaft 75 and each provided with a valve 76 for controlled inflation. Ablanket member 77 of rubber or like resilient material extends inoverlapping relation between the tires 71 and 72 and is bonded to theirperipheral surfaces to complete the inflatable roll 70.

Within the roll 70 is a nip bar 80 which corresponds in function to thenip bar 40 and comprises a heavy metal tube rigidly secured to the shaft75 by an arm structure 8 1. The bar 80 and arm structure 81 are soproportioned that when the roll 70 is supported out of contact with itsc0- operating rolls, the outermost surface of the bar 80 will just touchthe inner surface of the blanket 77.

The mounting structure for the roll 70 is duplicated at each end of thepress assembly, and only the structure at one end of the roll is shown.-It comprises an arm 85 which is keyed and clamped to the outer end ofthe shaft 75 in non-rotating relation. The outer end of this arm 85 isconnected by a pivot pin 86 to a load arm 88, and these parts arepreferably so proportioned that the pin 86 is coaxial with the nip bar80. The load arm 88 is in turn mounted at one end by a pivot pin 89 onan end stand 90 mounted on the base 63. The other end of the load arm 88is adjustably supported by a fluid pressure cylinder 91 which is alsomounted on the base 63.

An adjustable rigid connection is provided between each arm 85 and itsassociated load arm 88, which is shown as comprising a rod 92 having oneend pivoted at 93 to the arm 85. A threaded bushing 95 (FIGS. 3 and 6)is rotatable on the outer end portion of the rod 92 but is confined atboth ends as by snap rings 94. The bushing 95 is threaded through ablock 96 pivoted at 97 between two plates 98 which forms extensions ofthe arm 88. A hand Wheel 99 is secured on the outer end of the bushing95 for manual operation thereof, and it Will be seen that rotation ofthe bushing 95 will cause the inflatable roll 70 to swing back and forthabout the axis of the pivot pins 86.

A supplemental roll 100, which may be of relatively small diameter, ismounted for adjustable pressure engagement With the outer surface ofinflatable roll 70. Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the roll 100 issupported at each end by a bearing 101 secured to one end of arm 102having its opposite end provided with a pivotal mounting 106 on theadjacent load arm 88. An adjustable rigid connection is provided betweeneach arm 102 and the adjacent arm 85, and such connection is shown asformed by a pair of threaded rods 105 and 106 connected at theiradjacent ends by a turnbuckle 107 and having their opposite ends pivotedto the arms 85 and 102 respectively.

In addition to the valves 76 for effecting inflation of the individualtires 71 and 72, provision is made for controlled inflation of roll 70as a whole. One end of the shaft 75 is provided with a bore 110 throughwhich air, water or both may be introduced to the interior of the roll70 as indicated at 111. The purpose of introducing water is primarily tolubricate the interface of the bar 80 with the inner surface of theblanket 77, and it also provides a cooling action. The level of waterwithin the roll 70 is readily controlled by providing the other end ofthe shaft 77 with a similar bore 114 having a siphon tube 115 mountedtherein within the roll 70 as shown and having its outer end connectedto a source 116 of controlled suction.

The arrangement of the mounting structure for the roll assembly of FIGS.3-6 is preferably such that the center of the nip bar 80 and the axis ofthe pivot pin 86 lie in the same plane with the axis of roll '60, andconveniently all of these points will lie in the same vertical plane asshown. This arrangement will cause the roll 60 to deform the blanket 77to an extent which is determined and controlled initially by the extentto which the roll 70 is displaced about the pivot pin 66 by adjustmentof the rod 9 2.

The supplemental roll 100 is capable of performing two functions in theoperation of this press assembly. In the first place, it will beapparent that if this roll is forced to a greater extent against theinflatable roll 70 than is shown in FIG. 3, by movement to the right asviewed in FIG. 3, it will produce an increased deformation of thesurface of the blanket 77 on the opposite side of the nip bar 80, thusincreasing the extent to which the blanket 7'7 wraps the roll 60. Inaddition, in all adjusted positions of the several rolls, the roll 100has a stabilizing effect in eliminating vibrations and insuringuniformly maintained angular wrap of the surface of the roll 60 by theblanket 77.

FIG. 7 illustrates diagrammatically the forces involved in the form ofthe invention shown in FIGS. 36. The two arrows N represent the nipforce squeezing the blanket 77 between the bar 80 and roll 60, and thisforce may be relatively high, for example 250 pounds per linear inch.The angle a is defined by lines from the center of roll 60 to thecenters of bar 80 and roll 70 respectively, and this angle may bechanged as described by swinging the roll 70 about the axis of pins 86.The pressure C represents the contact pressure between the blanket 77and roll 80, which is a function both of the angle a and of the force Fproduced by the roller 100. The internal pressure P of roll 70 may berelatively low, for example 3 psi. and is primarily for the purpose ofmaintaining the roll in proper shape.

The press assembly of FIGS. 37 accordingly offers substantial,advantages from the standpoint of the range of operating conditionswhich can be produced. It is not necessary that the internal pressuresin the inflatable roll '70 be particularly high, typical examples being3 p.s.i. for the interior of the roll, as already noted, and 6 psi. forthe individual tires 71 and 72, and these pressures can be readilychanged as dictated by the results to be obtained. It is also simple andeasy to change the other operating conditions as desired, including thenip pressure between the roll 6t) and bar 80, by changing the pressurein cylinder 91, or the degree of wrap of roll 60 by blanket 77, whichcan be varied either by movement of the roll 70 about the pivot pin 86at an axis or by adjustment of roll 100 inwardly or outwardly of roll70.

Another advantage of this press assembly, as well as that of FIGS. 1 and2, is its adaptability to press rolls of different sizes and the easewith which the inflatable roll can be removed and replaced after itsblanket portion becomes Worn through use. With the press assembly of theinvention, it is unnecessary to provide cantilevered rolls as inconventional presses, and changing of the blanket is achieved by simpleremoval of one inflatable roll and replacement by a similar spare roll,which is accomplished by lifting of the supporting shaft 25 or 75 fromits bearings without disturbing the remainder of the press assembly.

Cross reference is made to the copending application of Frederick A.Martin, Serial No. 315,052, filed October 9, 1963 and assigned to thesame assignee as this application.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferredembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes maybe made 6 therein without departing from the scope of the inventionwhich is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A press assembly for use in the preparation of extensible paper,comprising a press roll, an inflatable roll of substantially the samelength as said press roll having a circumferential outer face portion ofresilient material forming a blanket of substantial thickness, meansmounting said rolls with the axes thereof in predetermined parallel andclosely spaced relation causing said press roll to deform a portion ofsaid blanket into lapping relation with a corresponding area of thesurface of said first roll, means within said inflatable roll forcompressing one end of said deformed blanket portion thereof againstsaid press roll to form a pressure nip, and means for causing said rollsto rotate in the direction to cause a paper web to travel through saidnip and then between said deformed blanket portion and said press roll.

2. A press assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising means forselectively regulating the angular extent of said deformed blanketportion.

3. A press assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising means for adjustingand controlling the operation of said compressing means to regulate thepressure in said pressure nip.

4. A press assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising means for adjustingthe relative spacing of said roll axes to vary the extent of saiddeformed blanket portion.

5. A press assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising means for adjustingand controlling the operation of said compressing means to regulate thepressure across said pressure nip independently of the extent of saiddeformed blanket portion.

6. A press assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising additional rollmeans supported outside said inflatable roll in angularly spacedrelation around the circumference thereof from said press roll, andadjustable means for forcing said additional roll means into deformingpressure engagement with said blanket.

7. A press assembly for use in the preparation of extensible paper,comprising a press roll, an inflatable roll of substantially the samelength as said press roll having a circumferential outer face portion ofresilient material forming a blanket of substantial thickness, shaftmeans mounting said inflatable roll with the axis thereof inpredetermined parallel and closely spaced relation with the axis of saidpress roll causing said press roll to deform a portion of said blanketinto lapping relation with a corresponding area of the surface of saidpress roll, means carried by said shaft means within said inflatableroll for compressing one end of said deformed blanket portion thereofagainst said press roll to form a pressure nip, and means for causingsaid rolls to rotate in the direction to cause a paper web to travelthrough said nip and then between said deformed blanket portion and saidpress roll.

8. A press assembly as defined in claim 7 comprising frame meanssupporting said shaft in such spaced relation with said press roll thatsaid shaft is removable with said inflatable roll and said compressingmeans from the remainder of said press assembly by movement in adirection transverse to the axis of said shaft.

9. A press assembly for use in the preparation of extensible paper,comprising a press roll, an inflatable roll of substantially the samelength as said press roll having a circumferential outer face portion ofresilient material forming a blanket of substantial thickness, meansincluding a shaft supporting said inflatable roll with the axis thereofin predetermined parallel and closely spaced relation with the axis ofsaid press roll causing said press roll to deform a portion of saidblanket into lapping relation with a corresponding angular area of thesurface of said press roll, said inflatable roll being mounted for freerotation on said shaft, a pressure bar secured to said shaft within saidinflatable roll in parallel relation with said shaft and with theradially outer surface thereof spaced from the axis of said shaft by adistance greater than that from said shaft axis to the surface of saidpress roll, means outside said inflatable roll for moving said shaft ina direction causing said bar to compress one end of said deformedblanket portion thereof against said press roll to form a pressure nip,and means for causing said rolls to rotate in the direction to cause apaper Web to travel through said nip and then between said deformedblanket portion of said press roll.

10. A press assembly as defined in claim 9 comprising means outside saidinflatable roll for moving said shaft in a direction transverse to theaxis thereof to change the extent of said deformed blanket portionwithout varying the pressure across said pressure n-ip.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1962 France.

1. A PRESS ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN THE PREPARATION OF EXTENSIBLE PAPER, COMPRISING A PRESS ROLL, AN INFLATABLE ROLL OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LENGTH AS SAID PRESS ROLL HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL OUTER FACE PORTION OF RESILIENT MATERIAL FORMING A BLANKET OF SUBSTANTAIL THICKNESS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ROLLS WITH THE AXES THEREFORE IN PREDETERMINED PARALLEL AND CLOSELY SPACED RELATION CAUSING SAID PRESS ROLL TO DEFORM A PORTION OF SAID BLANKET INTO LAPPING RELATION WITH A CORRESPONDING AREA OF THE SURFACE OF SAID FIRST ROLL, MEANS WITHIN SAID INFLATABLE ROLL FOR COMPRESSING ONE END OF SAID DEFORMED BLANKET PORTION THEREOF AGAINST SAID PRESS ROLL TO FORM A PRESSURE NIP, MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID ROLLS TO ROTATE IN THE DIRECTION TO CAUSE A PAPER WEB TO TRAVEL THROUGH SAID NIP AND THEN BETWEEN SAID DEFORMED BLANKET PORTION AND SAID PRESS ROLL. 